Beyond Digital Adoption

Many organisations have built strong digital foundations – yet progress is far from consistent. With 42% reporting advanced or embedded enablement and 25% still at early or non‑started stages, the divide presents both commercial risk and competitive advantage.

Improving operational efficiency remains a priority for many organisations, but legacy systems, evolving regulations and budget constraints are making it harder for businesses to realise the benefits of digital transformation (or enablement in this case).

Efficiency may be the entry point, but trust and compliance are what sustain long-term digital progress.

Which of the following, if any, best describes your organisation’s current stage of digital enablement? 

The opportunity: By aligning technology and tools with legal and risk teams, organisations can convert enablement into measurable outcomes without compromising compliance. Moving from pockets of progress to enterprise discipline will accelerate growth.

Our report explores in more detail: Why the gap exists, where organisations are most constrained, and the key actions leaders can take to move forward.

Read more about the digital enablement gap

AI is mainstream: 68% of businesses now use AI tools in some form. But uptake is outpacing oversight – only 41% feel confident in their governance and risk management.

So, if adoption is outpacing governance, organisations now need to make sure they have the framework, processes and people in place. As organisations move from ‘pilots’ to programmes, the legal and risk implications are now day-to-day realities.

With no single dominant use of AI reported by our survey respondents, value is clearly distributed across organisations. Looking ahead, ethical AI use is expected to grow in significance in the next 12-24 months, with governance pressures rising.

To what extent, if at all, is your organisation currently using AI tools in the business?

The opportunity: AI value is real, but trusted AI will act as a differentiator. With the right safeguards in place, businesses can move from managing AI risk, to realising its full, strategic potential.

Our report explores in more detail: Emerging trends, AI use cases, the governance gaps emerging as adoption accelerates, and how organisations can strengthen their AI policies and controls.

Read more about AI adoption & governance

Cybersecurity remains the dominant pressure point from a compliance perspective, with 54% naming it their top compliance challenge and 60% expecting threats to increase over the next two years. Data protection concerns remain close behind.

Organisations are responding to the challenge though as cybersecurity tops the list of planned digital infrastructure investments for the next two years. Together, these findings reveal a landscape where rising threat levels are accelerating action – and where strong cyber resilience is increasingly seen as a defining marker of digital maturity.

Which areas of compliance pose the greatest challenge in your digital initiatives?

The opportunity: Proactive compliance turns regulatory change into an engine for resilience and customer confidence. Embedding security and privacy by design lowers exposure while accelerating approvals and market access.

Our report explores in more detail: How expanding regulation, increasing cyber and data risks, and governance challenges are driving new organisational priorities and what leaders must prepare for next.

Read more about Cybersecurity, data and compliance

Workforces across the UK are feeling the strain of digital transformation – but the picture is far from consistent. Decision-makers point to skills shortages (27%) and resistance to change (24%) as the biggest people related barriers holding back progress, with capacity constraints and training pressures also high on the list.

At the same time, many organisations report that digital enablement has had minimal impact on roles so far (39%), even as 63% expect it to reshape employment in their industry over the next five years.

The message is clear: while the workforce impact may feel muted today, businesses anticipate a wave of change ahead – and many are not yet fully prepared.

How do you anticipate digital enablement will affect employment in your industry over the next 5 years?

The opportunity: A structured change programme builds momentum, minimises disruption and strengthens retention in critical roles. By giving people, the right skills – and the confidence to apply them – organisations unlock far greater value from their existing technology investments. With practical training and clear guardrails in place, adoption fatigue is transformed into engagement, productivity and sustained progress.

Our report explores in more detail: The legal, regulatory and people risks emerging as digital tools reshape the workforce, and the steps organisations must take to manage them responsibly.

Read more about the workforce & skills transformation

Despite cost pressures, investment in digital infrastructure is accelerating – and for many organisations, it’s becoming the defining battleground for competitiveness.

Over the next 12–24 months, decision makers are prioritising cybersecurity (44%), AI and automation (32%), and data analytics platforms (22%) as their top areas for investment, signalling a clear shift toward technology driven resilience and capability.

Yet progress isn’t without its challenges: cost and budget constraints remain the single biggest barrier (46%), followed by talent gaps and regulatory concerns. And while just over half of leaders believe digital infrastructure will be a competitive differentiator in the next three years, a significant minority are still dealing with legacy systems, internal resistance and uncertainty about ROI. The result is a landscape where ambition is high, but readiness varies widely.

Of the following what are your top 3 priorities for digital infrastructure investment over the next 12-24 months?

The opportunity: Phased, outcome focused investment helps build resilience while showing real value. Starting with simple, low risk actions delivers quick wins and lays the groundwork for AI, data and security. Choosing tools and systems that work well together reduces compatibility issues that create complexity and inefficiency further down the line. Linking each stage of investment to a clear business goal helps maintain stakeholder support and reduces risk in longer programmes.

Our report explores in more detail: Explores investment priorities, the infrastructure barriers organisations face, and how modernisation can strengthen resilience and growth.

Read more about investment and infrastructure